Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh on Thursday directed the officers of the companies working on Thar coal project to ensure the health, and safety of labourers working on the project and said that no negligence in the said regard will be tolerated.
He warned to improve and make the safety and security arrangements in Thar coal field foolproof within a week and said that stern action will be taken against responsible ones for any negligence.
He issued these directives while presiding over an online meeting held at the office of the Sindh Energy Department where officers of the energy department and officials of the companies working on Thar coal project marked their attendance.
The Sindh energy minister expressed deep regret and shock over the brutal murder of Dodo Bheel in the Islamkot town of the sand-swept Tharpakar district a few days ago. Bheel was among 14 workers detained by the security staff of a mining company on suspicion of stealing scrap. The employees were kept in illegal confinement and brutally beaten and when condition of Bheel deteriorated he was handed over to police who took home to hospital where he died. Two other workers were injured too.
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During the session, Shaikh said that such incidents can have negative impacts on the Thar coal project.
Shaikh said that PPP leadership had taken notice of the incident and people involved in the incident could not get away the consequences.
Thar coal was an important project owing to its role in fulfillment of energy requirements of Pakistan and inclusion in CPEC and such incidents might create a negative perception of the project, the minister said and stressed on all concerned that safety and security of the project as well as labour force was of vital importance.
Sino-Sindh Resources CEO, other power generation companies and Secretary Sindh Energy Department Tariq Ali Shah briefed the meeting in detail about security arrangements a Thar Coal fields.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2021.
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